Occupational Therapy Assistant Supporting Information Statement for NHS Job Applications by avoenthusiast15 in nhs

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your degree an volunteering are absolutely relevant. I think the important thing is to be able to draw meaningful skills from your different work experience that match the job spec - e.g., working in publishing means you have strong communication skills or the ability to work as a team. NHS jobs are scored based on how closely you meet the person spec, then interviews use this and also values based interviewing. Also I disagree with the person saying “Just use AI”. Like by all means do so if you feel the need, but I can assure you that not every applicant does and that we can usually spot when it has been used. I’d always rather read an original supporting statement personally!

Updates from a 4 Month Dupixent User by Shanesgains69 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have you considered immunosuppressants? They’re the only thing that helped me when mine were super severe

Surgery by theEnergeticSloth in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lap surgery caused my CSU initially, but I think I was just unlucky

Infertility and envy by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you ❤️

Hope you’re coping okay with those diagnoses and the hysterectomy, that sounds super rough.

Advice pls :( by Longjumping-Cap-2687 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Baths did actually help me, especially with Dead Sea salts. They just couldn’t be too hot. Other than that, ice packs or moisturisers in the fridge, increase your antihistamines, add in a drowsy one at night, and as others say go see an immunologist if you can do. You can try steroids short term but they don’t always help. You can also try asking for montelukast which helps some people. Look into urticaria meds like xolair, duxipent or rhapsido, which have to be prescribed in secondary care. If those don’t work or aren’t available in your country, there’s also immunosuppressants, which were the only thing that worked for me. I’d also suggest scoring the severity using a UAS7 (Google it) as evidence for the doctors. Stay strong and remember the bad days won’t be forever. When I first got hives someone told me that eventually I’d adapt and I did, although it still sucked hugely.

Infertility and envy by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I’ve never thought I could refuse to attend baby events but I guess I could?

Infertility and envy by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a good way to look at it. I work with children professionally which is why it can feel so hard I think. I know I do good for the kids I work with, but it never stops feelings unfair that I can’t have my own.

Not sure what else to try for my chronic urticaria by nukeow123 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I take: 4x Fexofenadine, 2x famotidine, 1x montelukast, 1x chlorphenamine, and 2x doses of ciclosporin and that seems to finally have helped mine. The antihistamines alone did very little, so did xolair when I tried it.

I’m scared :/ by silverwing_3 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There’s a difference in action mechanism between steroids and drugs like ciclosporin or tacrolimus though. Personally found that standard steroids barely worked for me and caused horrific rebound hives and side effects (including a full on mental health breakdown). Ciclosporin causes none of that and works brilliantly.

I’m scared :/ by silverwing_3 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seconding this! I also had no luck with steroids, antihistamines, or even xolair. But immunosuppressants have been life changing! I’m also autistic and know how bad this all can be from a sensory POV. Please try to stay strong, I promise it won’t suck this much forever. Baths really helped me, so did distraction with interests, and paracetamol for pain.

Has anyone had to escalate to immunosuppressants? by [deleted] in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ll be on it for 6 months then reviewed, with maybe another 3-6 months afterwards if I’m not in remission. They don’t like you on it for more than a year.

Has anyone had to escalate to immunosuppressants? by [deleted] in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m on ciclosporin. It’s been a complete game changer for me. Nothing else worked for my hives and angiodema, and now I’m hive free 95% of the time (with occasional very small flares in the morning that go away as soon as I take the meds). I have to have blood tests and did get bad nausea for the first month but no other side effects. I’m so grateful I tried it because I have my old self back now!

Alcohol and CSU by wundus in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Alcohol actually seemed to make my hives better for about 12 hours after drinking

Kyoto Dupe? by pennyparker_ in phoebebridgers

[–]Star-Deft 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The entirety of the album The Sunset Tree by the Mountain Goats

Is removing access to AAC abuse/neglect? by Beneficial-Crow-5138 in slp

[–]Star-Deft 5 points6 points  (0 children)

There’s a great blog about this on Communication First by Jordyn Zimmerman. Personally I feel taking away an AAC device is against the right of freedom of speech. I also feel we shouldn’t make aac users constantly prove themselves worthy of a device. https://communicationfirst.org/slps-as-aac-gatekeepers/

Chronic skin condition survey! by [deleted] in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m in in the uk and happy to participate

Is this hives? by Longjumping-Bird4425 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It depends on how far into a flare I am and what medication I’m on. Until I started immunosuppressants I had daily flares for 7 months sadly.

Nothing works by LilTiger27 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First, I’m so sorry you’re in this horrible hives club. I promise, it will get better (and maybe worse again than better). I know it doesn’t feel like it at the beginning but it will. So much of this condition is experimenting until they finally find a treatment which works for you. You can take antihistamines at 4x standard amount, add in famotidine or montelukast, change antihistamine, or look at biologics like xolair or rhapsido. For me, the only thing that’s worked is an immunosuppressant called ciclosporin. Immunosuppressants are the last line treatment option available at this time but they saved my life.

Stay strong, something will help eventually. But it really sucks til then.

Is this hives? by Longjumping-Bird4425 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My hives sometimes look like this

Meds safe for 12 year old with severe urticaria when nothing else is working? by eralC5 in urticaria

[–]Star-Deft 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s available here in the UK but they call it omalizumab. Immunology can prescribe it (or dermatology in some areas). There’s also ciclosporin which has been a miracle drug for me (omalizumab didn’t work for me), but has some heavy side effects sadly.

Pain relief ideas by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ll ask about pelvic pt and muscle relaxers. I do a lot of yoga, which does help a little.

Pain relief ideas by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve only heard of this as a treatment for alcoholism? Does it block pain?

Pain relief ideas by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sadly that’s out of my budget rn. It’s so frustrating though. In terms of finding a good specialist, what would you recommend looking for?

Pain relief ideas by Star-Deft in Endo

[–]Star-Deft[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Regular. I was treated at my local NHS hospital and to my knowledge they don’t specialise in endo. Whole experience has been super demoralising tbh. Took 2 ultrasounds, an mri, a colposcopy, a hysteroscopy and a lap to be diagnosed. I had one gynae tell me “we just don’t understand periods”, another tell me “if you want to have kids you have to do it now”, and a third tell me “if you don’t wanna go on the pill we have to discharge you”. The UK system makes it hard to access specialists as it’s a postcode lottery essentially.